2015 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
Town of Farmville
INTRODUCTION
This Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for calendar year 2015 is designed to inform you about your drinking
water quality. Our goal is to provide you with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water, and we want you
to understand the efforts we make to protect your water supply. The quality of your drinking water must meet
state and federal requirements administered by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).
If you have questions about this report, want additional information about any aspect of your drinking water or
want to know how to participate in decisions that may affect the quality of your drinking water, please contact:
Kathy Gagen, Water Plant Supervisor or Gerald J. Spates, Town Manager
434-392-8774
434-392-5686
The times and location of regularly scheduled council meetings are as follows:
nd
2 Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM – Town Hall, Farmville, VA
GENERAL INFORMATION
The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds,
reservoirs, springs and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves
naturally occurring minerals and can pick up substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human
activity. Contaminants in source water may be naturally occurring substances or may come from septic systems,
discharges from domestic or industrial wastewater treatment facilities, agricultural and farming activities, urban
stormwater runoff, residential uses, and many other types of activities. Contaminants that may be present in
source water include: (1) Microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage
treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife. (2) Inorganic contaminants, such
as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or
domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming. (3) Pesticides and herbicides, which
may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses. (4)
Organic chemical contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are byproducts of
industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff,
and septic systems. (5) Radioactive contaminants, which can be naturally-occurring or be the result of oil and
gas production and mining activities. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes
regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and
Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same
protection for public health.
Water from surface sources is treated to make it drinkable while groundwater may or may not have any
treatment.
All drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small
amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a
health risk. More information can be obtained by calling the Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking
Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immunocompromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone
organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be
particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care
providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and
other microbiological contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791).
2015 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
Town of Farmville
Pg. 2
SOURCE AND TREATMENT OF YOUR DRINKING WATER
The source of your drinking water is surface water from the Appomattox River.
Treatment of the raw water consists of chemical addition, coagulation, flocculation, settling, filtration, fluoridation,
chlorination and corrosion control. All of these processes work together to remove the physical, chemical, and
biological contaminants to make the water safe for drinking.
A source water assessment for the Town of Farmville water supply was conducted during 2002 by the Virginia
Department of Health. The river source was determined to have a high susceptibility to contamination using
criteria developed by the state in its approved Source Water Assessment Program. The assessment report
consists of maps showing the source water assessment area, an inventory of known land use activities of
concern, and documentation of any known contamination within the last 5 years. The report is available by
contacting your water system representative / operator at the phone number or address provided with this
drinking water quality report.
DEFINITIONS
Contaminants in your drinking water are routinely monitored according to federal and state regulations. The
st
st
table below shows the results of this monitoring for the period of January 1 through December 31 , 2015. In
the table and elsewhere in this report you will find terms and abbreviations you might not be familiar with. The
following definitions are provided to help you better understand these terms:
Non-detects (ND) - lab analysis indicates that the contaminant is not present, based on the limits of the
analytical equipment used.
Parts per million (ppm) or Milligrams per liter (mg/l) - one part per million corresponds to one minute in two
years or one penny in $10,000.
Parts per billion (ppb) or Micrograms per liter - one part per billion corresponds to one minute in 2,000 years,
or one penny in $10,000,000.
Picocuries per liter (pCi/l) - picocuries per liter is a measure of the radioactivity in water.
Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) - nephelometric turbidity unit is a measure of the cloudiness of water.
Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the average person.
Action Level (AL) - the concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other
requirements which a water system must follow.
Treatment Technique (TT) - a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) - the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is
no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.
MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG) - the level of a drinking water disinfectant below which
there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to
control microbial contaminants.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDL) - the highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking
water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control microbial
contaminants.
Not Applicable (NA)
2015 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
Town of Farmville
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WATER QUALITY RESULTS
We routinely monitor for various contaminants in the water supply to meet all regulatory requirements. The table
below lists only those contaminants that had some level of detection. Many other contaminants have been
analyzed but were not present or were below the detection limits of the lab equipment.
Contaminant / Unit
of Measurement
MCLG
Total Coliform
Bacteria
0
Contaminant / Unit
of Measurement
Turbidity
NTU
Fluoride
ppm
MCLG
MCL
Microbiological Contaminants
Level Found / Range
Violation
Presence of coliform
bacteria in no more
None
than 1 sample per
Detected
month
Inorganic Contaminants
MCL
Level Found / Range
TT= Max 1 NTU
Maximum - 0.10
TT=95% of monthly
samples must be
<0.3 NTU
Lowest monthly
percentage of
samples <0.3 - 100%
NA
No
Violation
No
Date of
Sample
Typical Source of
Contamination
9 per month
2015
Naturally present in
the environment
Date of
Sample
Typical Source of
Contamination
Continuous &
Every 2
hours in lab
Soil runoff
0.7
4
4
No
Daily
October
2015
Range: 0.6-0.9
Nitrate ppm
10
10
0.15
No
Barium ppm
2
2
0.02
No
October
2015
TT- Based on %
removed during
treatment process;
meets when removal
ratio ≥ 1.0
Lowest 4 quarter ave
removal ratio- 1.18
No
Quarterly
Violation
Date of
Sample
No
July/August
2013
Total Organic
Carbon (TOCs) ppm
N/A
Erosion of natural
deposits; Water additive
which promotes strong
teeth; Discharge from
fertilizer and aluminum
factories
Runoff from fertilizer
use; Leaching from
septic tanks, sewage;
Erosion of natural
deposits
Erosion of natural
deposits; Discharge of
drilling wastes;
Discharge from metal
refineries;
Naturally occurring in the
environment
Range of monthly
removal- 1.0 - 1.61
Lead and Copper
Contaminant / Unit
of Measurement
Lead
ppb
Copper
ppm
MCLG
MCL
0
AL = 15
AL = 1.3
AL = 1.3
Level Found / Range
<2 (90thpercentile)
Range: <2-6.9 of
twenty collected, none
exceeded the AL
0.16 (90thpercentile)
Range: <0.02 – 0.91
Of twenty samples
collected,
none exceeded the AL
No
July/August
2013
Typical Source of
Contamination
Corrosion of household
plumbing systems;
Erosion of natural
deposits
Corrosion of household
plumbing systems;
Erosion of natural
deposits; Leaching
from wood
preservatives
2015 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
Town of Farmville
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Organic Contaminants
Contaminant/Unit of
Measurement
HAA5s
(Total Haloacetic
Acids)
ppb
TTHM’s
(Total
Trihalomethanes)
ppb
Chlorine-ppm
Date of
Sample
Typical Source of
Contamination
No
Quarterly
2015
By-product of drinking
water disinfection
No
Quarterly
2015
By-product of drinking
water disinfection
No
Monthly at
nine sites
Water additive used to
control microbes
Date of
Sample
Typical Source of
Contamination
October
2015
Decay of natural and manmade deposits
MCLG
MCL
Level Found
Violation
N/A
60
(running 4
quarter ave)
Highest 4 Qtr Ave: 31
Range: 16 - 40
N/A
80
(running 4
quarter ave)
Highest 4 Qtr Ave: 30
Range: 12 - 39
MRDLG=4
MRDL=4
Highest Quarterly
Average-1.3 mg/L
Range: 0.2 – 2.2 mg/L
Radiological Contaminants
Contaminant/Unit of
Measurement
Beta Emitters
pCi/L
MCLG
MCL
Level Found
Violation
0
50
2.7
No
The results in the table are from testing done in 2013 through 2015. The state allows us to monitor for some
contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently.
Some of our data, though representative, is more than one year old.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets MCLs at very stringent levels. In developing the standards EPA
assumes that the average adult drinks 2 liters of water each day throughout a 70-year life span. EPA generally sets
MCLs at levels that will result in no adverse health effects for some contaminants or a one-in-ten-thousand to one-inone-million chance of having the described health effect for other contaminants.
OTHER DRINKING WATER CONSTITUENTS
In the compliance samples collected during October 2015, the sodium content was determined to be 9.0 ppm, which
is below the maximum recommended level of 20 ppm by EPA. The recommended level is established for those
individuals on a sodium-restricted diet. If you have any concerns about the sodium level in your drinking water, you
may wish to consult with your physician. Aluminum was below the detectable limit of 0.05 ppm and so is within EPA’s
Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (SMCL) range of 0.05 – 0.2 ppm. This limit is established to minimize
potential aesthetic (color) affects associated with aluminum above the recommended limit. The manganese
concentration was determined to be 0.02 ppm which is below the Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level of 0.05
ppm. Manganese is a naturally occurring mineral in many surface and ground water sources and in soils that may
erode into these waters. This mineral is not considered a health concern; however, its presence above the Secondary
Maximum Contaminant Level can result in aesthetic problems affecting the clarity and taste of the water as well as
staining of plumbing fixtures.
Information about Lead In Drinking Water:
If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young
children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home
plumbing. The Town of Farmville is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety
of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the
potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 15 to 30 seconds or until it becomes cold or reaches a steady
temperature before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish
to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize
exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (Tel # 1-800-426-4791) or at
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
The Town is happy to report this water supply had no drinking water related violations to report for 2015.